Chapter 106

Elara's POV

"He'll be back in three days," I told Aurelio, glancing at him. "Until then, stay out of trouble."

He smirked faintly, but it didn't reach his eyes. Aurelio was slowly getting better. Lucas' blood had healed him, but he still needed some physical therapy.

"Trouble seems to find me whether I want it or not," he replied dryly.

I stopped walking and turned to face him. "Aurelio, I know it's none of my business, but I'm sorry-for what Lucas did."

"You mean for killing me?" His smile was faint, tinged with seriousness.

I winced. "I mean it. I'm truly sorry. Lucas… he lost control."

Aurelio hesitated before saying, "Luna…"

"I really want you to call me Elara, not Luna."

"But you are our Luna," he argued. "Unless you don't want to be."

"I do," I said softly. "But I'd like to earn that title. All I've been doing is sleeping in my room and eating. I haven't helped around the pack."

"You're pregnant. The Alpha would kill anyone who dared to put you to work," Aurelio said, making me laugh.

"Lucas is… overprotective," I admitted. "But it's all for the best. About what happened between you two… I know it's hard to forgive. And I know what he did was monstrous. But he regrets it. I saw the guilt in his eyes when he brought you back. I don't believe he saved you just for Sabrina."

Aurelio frowned, looking at me with curiosity. "What are you saying?"

"I think Lucas tapped into his own compassion to bring you back. The last time I saw that side of him was with Sabrina. But now, he did it for you too. It wasn't just for her-it was for you."

For a moment, Aurelio was silent, absorbing my words.

"Thank you, Luna," he said finally, smiling faintly.

I laughed, noting his insistence on calling me Luna. "There aren't a lot of Lunas who'd take the time to reassure a pack member."

"You're more than just a pack member, Aurelio. I…" I hesitated, unsure whether to reveal what I'd accidentally discovered. "I found Lucas' will. Not sure why he wrote it, but your name is in it."

"What?"

I covered my mouth, realizing I'd said too much. Oh, Goddess, why did I let that slip?

"I… never mind."

"No, Elara, please. Tell me," Aurelio pleaded.

I sighed, realizing I couldn't backtrack now. "Fine. But this stays between us." He nodded, waiting.

"Lucas named you as the next Alpha after him. In case he dies and our child isn't old enough to take over, he trusts you-and Sabrina-the most."

I watched the shock and emotion flicker across his face. It clearly meant a lot to him, and I hated the thought of Lucas not being around to see our child grow up. I loved Lucas. The idea of him dying was unbearable.

"And Aurelio," I added, my tone sharp, "if you hurt Sabrina again, Lucas will be the least of your concerns. I mean it. Don't hurt her. She's just a girl who… who loves you."

His expression softened, but guilt lingered there, too. "You think I don't know that? Elara.

"You care about her, don't you?"

Aurelio let out a shaky breath, his hands curling into fists at his sides. "Care about her?" He laughed quietly, though it wasn't out of humor. "Elara, I was going to propose to her. Before all of this… before the witches got to me, I had it all planned out."

I blinked, stunned. "Propose? You were serious about her?"

He nodded, his gaze fixed on the ground as if he couldn't bear to look at me. "I saved up for months to get her the perfect ring. I was going to take her to the meadow behind the pack house-you know, the one with all the wildflowers. She loves that spot. I had this whole speech planned. It was supposed to be… perfect."

His voice cracked on the last word, and I felt a pang of sadness for him.

"And then everything fell apart," he continued, his tone quieter now. "I hurt her, Elara. I broke her heart. Do you think she'd have ever say yes to me now?"

For a moment, I didn't know what to say. The feelings in his voice, the way his entire body seemed to deflate as he spoke about Sabrina-it was clear how much he loved her.

"She loves you, Aurelio," I said finally. "I don't know what happened between you two, but love doesn't just disappear. It bends, it breaks, but if it's real, it's still there. You just have to fight for it."

He looked up at me then, hope in his eyes. "You think I can fix this? After everything I've done?"

I nodded. "I do. But you have to be willing to put in the work. Sabrina's not going to make it easy for you-and she shouldn't. You hurt her, Aurelio. But if you're really sorry, if you're really serious about her, you'll prove it."

He didn't respond right away, his gaze dropping back to the ground.

"Thank you, Elara," he said.

I smiled, reaching out to place a hand on his shoulder. "Don't thank me yet. You've got a lot of work to do.

He was just about to say something when the sound of rustling bushes cut him off.

Before I could react, Mary, Lucas' mother, stepped out. Her claws were extended and a cruel smile was on her face.

"Luna, get behind me," Aurelio said instinctively, but it was too late.

Mary moved faster than we could process, her fist connecting with Aurelio's head in a sickening crunch. He dropped like a stone, unconscious before he hit the ground.

I froze, staring at her. "Mary, what are you doing here? I thought you were with Lucas."

She smiled. "I was. But I decided to double back and handle some unfinished business."

"What?" My voice wavered, and I hated how weak it sounded.

She tilted her head, her claws flexing as she took a step closer. "Isn't it high time you die, Elara?"

Panic surged through me. I turned and ran, my heart hammering in my chest, but I didn't get far.

Her claws wrapped around my arm, yanking me back. I stumbled, hitting the ground hard. I gasped, looking up as she towered over me, her shadow cutting off what little light remained.

Her smile widened. "You won't be a problem for my son anymore."